GREEN BARMY: Rare band of keepers jumped across the great Devon divide

ANOTHER chapter in the rivalry between Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City will unfold at Home Park today.

If there are to be any goals, the scorers' names will make all the headlines and ensure hero status made among those of either the green or red persuasion.

But what of those who often do not get the acclaim they deserve, even though their contribution is equally deserving. Hoping to keep scoring at bay are the goalkeepers.

Of the total of 79 footballers who have been on the books of both Argyle and City, five of those have been keepers.

The first of those arrived from the Grecians to Plymouth in 1935. Earlier in his career, he collected a League championship medal.

During Arthur Davies' three years with Everton, he was a member of the side that won the First Division crown at the end of the 1927-28 season.

Two years later, he left Goodison Park to join Exeter City.

As the first-choice goalkeeper, Davies made 165 appearances in the four years with City preceding his transfer to Argyle.

Signed by Robert Jack, his debut was on the opening day of the 1935-36 season when the Pilgrims beat Manchester United 3-1 at Home Park.

But his hopes of regular Second Division football were dashed as he remained an understudy to the long-serving Harry Cann.

Two years, and 21 league games, later, Davies moved to Southport but, within a year, was back at Home Park once more.

He played in a further 14 games, but tragically died at the age of 35.

Former Notts County, Derby County and Queens Park Rangers goalkeeper Harry Brown arrived at Home Park with many years' experience in 1956.

The Pilgrims had been blessed with Bill Shortt and Les Major on the books, but when both retired, 32-year-old Brown filled a void that had been left.

Brown received notoriety early in his career when, during his first spell with QPR, he played as a 'guest' in the infamous fogbound game between Arsenal and Dinamo Moscow.

Highbury had been used as an air-raid control centre during the Second World War and was not ready for the resumption of football, so White Hart Lane was chosen to host the touring side.

Arsenal's strong team was boosted by Stan Mortensen from Blackpool and Stoke City's Stanley Matthews, which did not go far in cementing goodwill ahead of the match.

With the Dinamo side having travelled such a distance, the referee – himself a Russian – refused to abandon the match as the fog thickened.

Legend has it that an Arsenal player, sent off for fighting, sneaked back onto the pitch while it was thought at one stage, the Moscow side had 15 players on the pitch – though nobody could tell for sure.

In another bizarre incident, the Gunners goalkeeper retired early after colliding with a post.

Brown, in the crowd, answered the public address call for a substitute goalkeeper and joined a game involving the first Soviet side ever to visit Britain.

During his two years with Argyle, Brown made 66 appearances after which he joined Exeter City.

Our chronological goalkeeping timeline moves to the 1960s.

This keeper joined West Ham United from non-League Hendon.

However, Peter Shearing failed to gain any league experience until signing for Portsmouth, where he made 17 appearances in four years at Fratton Park.

Shearing then signed for Exeter City and finally established himself during his two years in his first stint in east Devon.

Moving further west during the summer of 1966, his debut for Argyle came in a Second Division defeat at Northampton Town as he took the place of John Leiper.

After 23 consecutive appearances, Republic of Ireland international Pat Dunne arrived from Manchester United which signalled a barren time for Shearing.

The form of Dunne restricted Shearing to just one appearance during the following season.

The gates of St James' Park were once again opened, and another three years with City were followed by stints with Bristol Rovers and Gillingham which took his tally of career to 245 League games.

Mention goalkeeper to Dave Walter to informed local football fans and he will be remembered as the sheep farmer who put his hands to good use in football.

Signing for the Pilgrims, and combining his agricultural duties with training, the form of Rhys Wilmot ensured he was always seen as the number two.

Walter's debut came as a result of a suspension to Wilmot. Standing in for two games in October 1990, Walter was on both occasions part of winning teams under manager David Kemp: a handsome 4-1 home win over Hull City and a 1-0 victory over Charlton Athletic.

Having signed from Exeter City, he went on to feature in 19 games before joining the rare breed of players to play for all three professional clubs in the county when he was transferred to Torquay United.

The last goalkeeper to have a direct connection between Argyle and City is James Dungey.

A schoolboy international who progressed through the youth scheme at Home Park, he entered the record books as the youngest player in the club's history at first-team level – and what a baptism of fire it was!

Managed by Peter Shilton, Argyle were playing at Stockport County in Division Two.

Alan Nicholls received a second yellow card with 18 minutes to go and the Pilgrims 3-2 ahead.

Chris Twiddy was sacrificed to enable 16-year-old Dungey – not the tallest goalkeeper in Argyle history – to enter the fray.

Stockport threw everything at the debutant, with the aerial threat coming from giant striker Kevin Francis.

But Dungey held firm, and Argyle even managed to breakaway and score a fourth with a second goal from Richard Landon.

Dungey made 12 more appearances for Argyle during his first spell at Home Park as a professional, and was exposed to national infamy in his final Argyle match.

After an attempt to keep out a final minute corner at Carlisle United, the ball fell to his opposite number, on-loan Jimmy Glass, who secured a 2-1 win for the Cumbrians and thus preserved their League status.

A move to Exeter City brought just one senior game before returning to the Greens, for whom he played in another nine games.

Fierce rivals, but close links remain to this day between Argyle and City. Who would bet against those continuing with, just maybe, some of the personnel on duty this afternoon?

The only thing pokey Exeter has going for it is surrounding geography. If the M5 had been continued you would be nowhere. As for the airport same applies, without Plymouth people it would be flying one a week. If you say I am wrong, why don't more people live there?
Plymouth 250,000
Exeter 120,000.

Come on City!! Devon's Capital Team and most prosperous City. Exeter Chiefs, Liam Tancocck (Yes he has an Olympic Gold....unlike pretty boy), An International Airport and apparently the 4th most desirable place to live in the UK. When they recently replaced the 'Welcome to Plymouth' sign on the A38, they should have replaced it with 'Closed'. City of Culture applicant - now you are having a laugh!!